The first site is at Faenza (pictured) in the province of Ravenna which is better known for its majolica-ware glazed earthenware pottery.
TIM is among the first operators in Europe and the only one in Italy to launch a commercial Open RAN deployment programme.
In February TIM was a signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding with other main European operator groups to promote Open RAN technology and speed up the implementation of 5G, cloud and edge computing.
The first city in Italy to adopt this open network model is Faenza where, through collaboration with JMA Wireless, a leader in mobile coverage and the development of Open RAN software.
The solution decouples the hardware and software in the RAN with the aim of opening the market to more RAN suppliers.
Strategic plan
In this case the radio node on the 4G network combines JMA’s software baseband with the radio units provided by Microelectronics Technology (MTI).
The deployment of Open RAN solutions in an open environment is in line with the objectives of TIM’s 2021-2023 Beyond Connectivity plan.
The strategy is to unite the potential of the cloud and AI with the evolution of the mobile network.
Moreover, it will enable operators to strengthen security, improve network performances and optimise costs to provide ever more advanced digital services such as those linked to solutions for Industry 4.0, smart cities and autonomous driving.